Headhunting with Impact: My Journey from Startups to Executive Search

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A plaque with the logo "LEGATO" at the top recognizes "Jan Nordh" as the "#1 Sales Rep. Worldwide" for the Central Europe Sales Region, with a notation "Q3 - 1998, 200% Quota," set against a textured dark background.
A black and white plaque from Legato recognizes an individual as the number one sales representative worldwide for the Central Europe Sales Region, achieving 200% quota in Q3 1998.
A plaque displaying the Brocade logo and text that reads "2001 EMEA Top Revenue of the Year Jan Nordh," highlighting an achievement award.

My Story

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Jan Nordh
Jan Nordh
Jan Nordh
Jan Nordh
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I founded my headhunting business in August 2007, after spending over two decades working with leading US tech vendors. From 1984 to 2007, I held various roles in Sweden, Germany, and the US, covering everything from technical positions to sales and sales management. Along the way, I had the unique opportunity to build five US vendors from the ground up in Europe. Hiring across the DACH region gave me firsthand experience with the IT recruitment challenges facing tech startups and growing companies in sectors like cybersecurity and enterprise storage — the foundation for what I do today as a specialist headhunter for IT sales talent across the DACH and Nordic regions.

Through these experiences, I not only hired many skilled professionals but also found myself on the other side as a candidate—working with executive search consultants both great and not so great. By the time my last employer, LakeView Technology, was acquired by Vision Solutions in early 2007, I knew I could make a bigger impact on the recruitment process. I had seen how critical it was to find the right talent for complex IT leadership roles and knew how to deliver better quality and commitment than most headhunters. So, I took the leap and started my own executive search firm in Germany, determined to do things differently.

My first assignment? Finding a Managing Director and VP for Hitachi Data Systems in Germany. With an extensive network already in place, especially in my niche of enterprise storage, hardware, and software solutions, I knew I could deliver top candidates. And that was just the beginning.

Since then, I've made it my mission to focus 120% on every task and client. Growing up in Sweden and studying computer science in Stockholm instilled in me a relentless drive to solve problems and never give up. I carried a quota for over 25 years — #1 sales rep worldwide at Legato with 200% of quota in Q3 1998, a Legato President's Club member for the full year, and winner of Brocade's 2001 EMEA Top Revenue of the Year award — and built and led EMEA sales teams of up to 140 people. The five US vendors I launched into Europe from the ground up were Legato, Brocade, Veritas, EqualLogic and LakeView Technology; I also worked closely with others such as Cisco through the channel.

I place the utmost importance on professionalism, trust, and discretion. When I commit to something, I don’t just meet expectations — I exceed them.

Today, as the founder of Nordh Executive Search, I bring over 40 years in the IT industry, with deep expertise in areas like cybersecurity, DevOps, enterprise storage, cloud technologies, and innovative fields such as AI. My understanding of the market in Germany and the DACH region, combined with my proven track record in helping startups succeed, allows me to find the perfect IT executives who can drive businesses forward.